Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 50
The largest and most luxurious restaurant in Chang'an is not far from the West Market, next to the widest Zhuque Avenue in Chang'an. It is called "Xinghualou" as soon as you enter the gate.

It got its name because of the overwhelming apricot trees planted in the courtyard wall.

On this day, Zheng Shuqing, who had just been awarded the title of Minister of the Household Department by the imperial court, was full of ambition and invited Fang Chongyong to "appreciate the flowers" in the Xinghua Building to experience the authentic luxury of Chang'an.

Is wearing gold and silver considered luxury?
No, no, that kind of level is too low, and they are still at the stage of nouveau riche, thinking that the emperor uses a golden hoe to cultivate the land every day.

This apricot blossom forest is much more valuable than gold and silver. Considering the price of land near Chang'an West City, the Xinghua Building covering an area of ​​more than four acres means "noble" in itself, even if there is nothing here. !
Because it is rare, it is expensive.Because it is expensive, it is luxurious.

At this moment, in the cubicle on the third floor of the Xinghua Building, Zheng Shuqing was pointing at the blooming apricot flowers here, introducing the scenic spots here to Fang Chongyong, who was distracted because he was dozing off.

On the wooden plaques that are almost full of walls, there are poems left by literati.

Among them are many famous chapters that Fang Chongyong had memorized in his previous life.

Apricot blossoms are white flowers with red stems, similar to Jiangmei, but taller and more luxuriant than plum blossoms.When they are just in bud, they are pink, and when they are in full bloom, they are snow white.Precisely because the apricot blossom trees are tall, the best place to appreciate them is upstairs.

In order to treat guests, Zheng Shuqing spent a lot of money, and the entire third floor was paid by "Mr. Zheng", and he reserved the place.

"The spring is beautiful today, and the apricot blossoms are blooming like a sea. Why not write a poem to enjoy the situation? Chang'an prodigy wrote a poem at the age of nine, which is also a beautiful story."

Zheng Shuqing was in a good mood, and gave Fang Chongyong a cup of "Spring Drink".

Yinzi is a drink, and Chunyinzi is a drink suitable for drinking in spring, not specific.Correspondingly, there are "Xia Yinzi", "Autumn Yinzi" and "Winter Yinzi".

Commonly known as "Four Seasons Drink".

The spring drink that Fang Chongyong is drinking now is peach blossom drink. Simply put, it is a drink that boils peach blossoms and adds brown sugar and other medicinal materials. It is light brown and transparent, with a few peach blossom petals floating on it.

Of course, the process will not be so simple.

Among other things, brown sugar is not easy to obtain. This is sucrose produced by Datang with the technology introduced from Tianzhu.Even in Chang'an, only wealthy families can afford it.

Fang Chongyong didn't bother to ask how much this peach blossom drink was, anyway, it couldn't be cheap.

"Advise you not to cherish golden thread clothes, and advise you to cherish your youth; the flowers can be broken when they bloom, and the branches will not be broken when there are no flowers."

Fang Chongyong yawned, and lazily "created" a seven-character quatrain for the occasion.It was very late yesterday to study the military situation and the people's situation in Hexi. The first-hand information provided by Niu Xianke, in addition to oral statements, also has a piece of experience from his own experience as an official in Hexi for many years.

"Eh? Wait a minute, I'll get someone to take a pen and ink to write on a wooden board and hang it on the wall!"

Zheng Shuqing came back again and again, and had already written the poem "Encourage Learning" on a wooden board and hung it on the wooden wall on the third floor.

"It's the right time to become famous in Chang'an. This official just witnessed the rise of the child prodigy and dominated our poetry circle in the Tang Dynasty."

Zheng Shuqing stroked his beard and smiled.

"Okay, stop talking in circles. Tell me, what's the matter?"

Fang Chongyong asked feebly.He knows Lao Zheng's style too well, as long as he is looking for him, nothing good will happen.

"I'm really fine this time, I just want to thank you. I have been appointed Minister of the Household Department by the imperial court, and now I will specialize in the imitation of the Sogdian cloth you mentioned for the needs of the palace.

Drinking water and thinking about the source, it is the right thing to take you out to see the scenery of Chang'an. "

Zheng Shuqing said triumphantly.It would be hell if it was not developed to manage the cloth exclusively for the palace.

In the future, when Li Longji sees the fine imitation Sogdian cloth, he will always remind him who got the cloth.In this way, it would be very difficult for Zheng Shuqing not to be remembered!
Is Jane in the heart of the emperor?

Being remembered by the emperor, can you not be promoted?

"I thought these cloths would be used for military supplies."

Fang Chongyong sighed and had nothing to say.

Sure enough, it is you, the sage of Chang'an, Li Longji.Soldiers at the frontier pass, enjoyment comes first, I remember this clearly.

How can you give good things that are not even used in the palace to the border soldiers first?

Li Longji's thinking mode, as long as you think about it a little bit, you can understand what's going on.

"Military supplies? How is that possible? Sogdian cloth is expensive in Chang'an. With my Tang Dynasty's blending technology, it will only be better in texture after imitation. This is the face of a saint, how can it be sold in the market? As for rewarding the three armies? It's even more impossible."

Zheng Shuqing complained angrily.He felt that although Fang Chongyong was quick-witted and good at making money, he knew too little about the unspoken rules in these powerful circles.

After a while, exquisite meals were served.The dishes of the Tang Dynasty are usually known as "opening and closing". Roasting a whole lamb is really putting a lamb on the table and cutting it with a knife.

But the dishes served today are all small and delicate for some reason.Of course, with Fang Chongyong's limited knowledge, the smaller the pile, the more expensive the food.

"This dish is made from magpie tongue and lamb heart meat as the main ingredient. It goes through many extremely complicated processes and is finally baked. It is called Xiaolingzhi. As for how it is made, I don't know.

It is said that a sheep can only take four taels of meat. "

Zheng Shuqing pointed to a small plate of beautifully arranged barbecue and said, the painful expression on his face was faintly visible.

Fang Chongyong didn't dare to pick up the meat with the chopsticks that had already touched the meat.

If he took a bite of Tongqian or something, he could feel the taste of chewing money in his mind.

Fang Chongyong took back his chopsticks, pointed to the bowl of white rice in front of him and asked, "What's the name of this?"

"The name of this bowl of rice is Qingfeng Rice, and the ingredients are carefully selected and the preparation is complicated.

First of all, I want to steam a bowl of crystal rice, which one have you eaten before?

After steaming the crystal rice, mix it with dragon eye powder and borneol powder, mix it with milk cheese, put it in a gold jar for storage, and then place it vertically in an ice pool until it is completely cooled.Dipteromolina powder is a spice, derived from the dipterocarp tree, from Persia. "

Longyan powder is the powder made from dried longan.This is no longer called "rice", but similar to a cheese pastry with complicated processes.

But no matter how the craftsmanship is, the high price is inevitable.

"Shilang Zheng, it's better to save money to support your family. Only then do you know that it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality."

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but persuade Zheng Shuqing to save money.

He hasn't asked what the other dishes are. That's right, you can't tell just by looking at the appearance. Anyway, he intuitively thinks that they are expensive.

Lao Zheng spends so much money like water and still rents out the venue, does his family really have a mine?
Uh, maybe there is!

Thinking of this episode, Fang Chongyong didn't want to speak for a moment.When you persuade a person who owns a mine to be frugal, you are often playing the piano with the cow.

"That's why you don't understand.

For example, when we are traveling in a stagecoach, is it possible for us to be robbed by bandits?

Not to mention this kind of thing, the death of the governor on the way to the post is not an exception.

The few money you save on weekdays are not enough to buy a coffin if something goes wrong. Why don't you save it to benefit others?
As long as you are in a high position, there will naturally be people rushing to give you money to curry favor with you, so why worry about these money-smelling things? "

Zheng Shuqing drank the "condensed dew syrup" in the cup in one gulp.The wine smelled of money and made him very satisfied.

If you have money, you can build it vigorously, so what are you doing with it?If a person is dead, wouldn’t he not be able to enjoy anything?
"It's true, I need to trouble Zheng Shilang."

Fang Chongyong suddenly said seriously.

Hearing this, Zheng Shuqing immediately became nervous.

He didn't care much about spending huge sums of money on big dinners, but when he heard that Fang Zhongyong asked for something to do, his mind started to run at high speed, and he was no longer lazy and leisurely like before.

"Uh, why don't you come and listen, the big ones definitely won't work, the small ones... I'll try and see if it works."

Zheng Shuqing said very cautiously, which was completely opposite to his nonchalant attitude towards life just now.

"Shijun Zheng must have some friends in the officialdom. Can you let them write a letter to the court, saying that Tubo has grown in strength in recent years, and it is not appropriate for us, Tang Dynasty, to start a war with them?"

Fang Chongyong said something that Zheng Shuqing didn't know how to evaluate.

"The problem...it shouldn't be a big deal."

Zheng Shuqing pondered for a moment and said.

If he wanted to recommend Wang Zhongsi to the throne, he would never dare to write such a memorial, nor would he dare to ask his acquaintances to write it.

However, there is usually a court discussion before the war begins, and it is inevitable to have a good show and someone to advocate peace.

This kind of memorial is not to recommend officials to take up positions, so they don't have to bear joint and several liabilities, and they won't be held accountable afterwards.

It's safe whether you win or lose.

If you win the battle, Datang will be invincible in the world, forgive me for my stupidity.

I lost the fight, did you see, what did I say at the beginning?

It has to be said that Fang Zhongyong's request is really not high.

"Is there really nothing else? I heard that the third prince's cronies are planning to send your future father-in-law to Longyou..."

Zheng Shuqing asked with some hesitation.

If Fang Chongyong's clamor is understandable for Hexi's use of troops, then Wang Zhongsi can take advantage of the situation.But the other party actually asked me to sing the opposite tune.

This is not normal.

Could it be that he wanted his future father-in-law to sit on the bench for the rest of his life, just like that Yang Ruoxu who lived in Kuizhou and waited to die?
"Just say it's okay?

I remember the dyes needed for Sogdian cloth, the local ones in Chang'an should not be the best.Niu Xianke said that when the border customs counted the goods of Sogdian merchants, there were actually a lot of dyes from the coast of Shandong.

If the imitation cloth is not as good as the original Persian cloth at that time, the sage will definitely feel disgraced, and the official position of Mr. Zheng will be..."

Fang Zhongyong said hesitantly but hesitated.

"Okay, okay, can't I do this?"

Zheng Shuqing finally had no choice but to compromise.

There is no technical difficulty in imitating Sogdian cloth, but this may not be the case in terms of craftsmanship.

These technologies may have been readily available in the Tang Dynasty, or even lagged behind, but the materials and steps required in the process cannot entirely rely on past experience.

The goods from the Western Regions have been popular in Chang'an for many years, which naturally has its own uniqueness.Sogdian cloth has this name, but it is not woven by the Sogdians!At least not yet!
The secret of craftsmanship lies in the details.

Although the technology of Datang's textile industry has reached its peak in this era, if it wants to imitate, it may have to deal with some partial technical adjustments and optimizations.

For example, dyeing sequence, such as color adhesion, such as the color contrast of brocade.

In the era without the Internet, the textile printing and dyeing technologies in various parts of Datang were relatively independent.Although the textile industry in Chang'an, Luoyang and other places is advanced, it is not without corresponding local characteristics when it comes to specific places.

Not to mention Persia's textile industry.

Zheng Shuqing's job looks very simple, but the risks hidden in it are not small.

"In that case, I would like to thank Zheng Shilang."

Fang Zhongyong saluted and said.

"I really don't understand you. In fact, there is no need to be tied to your future father-in-law. Your future is limitless, and you can't be ruined in a boring place."

Zheng Shuqing persuaded him kindly.

In fact, Fang Chongyong understood what he said.It's just that Fang Chongyong also has secrets and plans that he cannot tell.

Given the relationship between Zheng Shuqing and Li Linfu, Fang Chongyong obviously couldn't tell the whole story.

The two ate and drank a lot in Xinghualou, and then they said goodbye and left.

……

What Fang Chongyong didn't expect was that while he was still planning how to get Wang Zhongsi to return to Chang'an to face the Saint, Li Heng's pig teammates had already started to take action.

The situation has taken a turn for the worse.

In May, under the urging and oppression of the imperial court, Cui Xiyi, the governor of Hexi, had to renege on the covenant and lead troops to surprise Tubo.Breaking the Tubo general Kili Xu Zhi in the west of Qinghai.

Li Longji also appointed You Suiyi Wang Wei to go out from Liangzhou to comfort him as a supervisory censor, and wrote a poem "Envoy to the Fortress", which said: "The lonely smoke in the desert is straight, and the sun is setting in the long river. Xiaoguan rides every time. Protect Yanran."

Hearing that the Tang State had betrayed its promise, Tubo was furious and entered a state of full mobilization. On the vast front bordering the Tang Dynasty, Tubo troops were frequently dispatched.

The situation at the border of the Tang Dynasty is in jeopardy!

At this juncture, the governor of Shanzhou, Du Hope, wanted to capture the new city of Tubo, so he asked the court, hoping to transfer capable generals to Hexi to lead the troops. This person must be the brave and skilled Wang Zhongsi.

At the same time, Jingzhao Yin Wei Jian also wrote to the court, bluntly saying that Wang Zhongsi's stay in Dongyang Mansion outside Wushan County was a waste of talent, and suggested that he be transferred to Hexi as the deputy envoy of Jiedu, and be awarded the governor of Liangzhou to sit in the rear of the Hexi Corridor.

I have to say that Wei Jian's suggestion, if you don't look at interpersonal relationships, is indeed selfless for the country and the people.

But judging from the "secret" network of relationships, that's not the case at all.

Wei Jian is Li Heng's brother-in-law, and Wang Zhongsi is Li Heng's childhood friend, and they grew up playing together.Wei Jian suggested that the imperial court reuse Wang Zhongsi, which would almost help to cultivate wings for Li Heng.

As expected, this move aroused strong dissatisfaction and backlash from Li Linfu, who was trying to protect his longevity from King Li Ling and who had already taken refuge in Concubine Wu Hui.

Li Linfu immediately suggested that Li Longji and Wang Zhongsi go to Jiannan and serve under Zhangqiu Jianqiong, the Jiedushi envoy of Jiannan, and be responsible for training the local united troops!
It is self-evident who Zhangchou Jianqiong belongs to.Wang Zhongsi has incredible abilities. When he arrives in Jiannan, the dragon wants to coil up, and the tiger wants to lie down!

However, Li Longji unexpectedly rejected Li Linfu's proposal, saying that there was something going on in Hexi and Tubo was ready to take action, so there was no need to make a big move against Jiannan's military affairs.

However, Li Longji did not agree with Wei Jian's suggestion, as if this incident never happened.

On this day, Fang Chongyong had just gotten up and was ready to exercise, when his future brother-in-law Wang Yanshu came alone to ask for advice.

Two days ago, the third prince Li Heng sent someone to Zheng County, Huazhou to inform Wang Zhongsi's wife Li: There is no hope of transferring Wang Zhongsi to Hexi. There may be a chance of transferring Wang Zhongsi to Jiannan, but they can no longer operate.

Panicked, Mrs. Li quickly sent Wang Yanshu to find Fang Chongyong to consult on countermeasures. Her arrogant and respectful attitude fully demonstrated her mother-in-law's snobbish eyes.

To help or not to help, this troublesome matter was placed in front of Fang Chongyong.

(End of this chapter)